In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill into law establishing a national holiday commemorating the birthday of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
The law took effect in 1986 and, today, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (commonly referred to as MLK Day) is observed nationwide on the third Monday in January each year. In 1994, President Bill Clinton signed legislation designating MLK Day as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.
Whether you take the day off or on serving your community, it can get confusing keeping up with what stores, services, and buildings are open and closed on this federal holiday.
Here’s a quick rundown of what’s open and what’s not open on this Jan. 20, 2020:
Closed
- Federal, state, county, and city government offices
- Courts
- Public schools
- Most banks and credit unions
- New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq
- Georgia Department of Driver Services
- US Postal Service -There will be no mail delivery to homes and businesses except for Priority Mail Express, according to USPS. If you need something delivered, UPS is open. FedEx is operating, but with modified service for FedEx Express and FedEx SmartPost.
Open
- Most restaurants
- Retail and grocery stores
- Habersham County landfill
